Multiband mill

ABSTRACT

Saw mill apparatus including a plurality of bandsaws cooperatively adjustable relative to each other transversely of the apparatus for cutting successive boards of predetermined thickness from a log firmly supported in its passage through the apparatus. The log is progressively fed to the bandsaws running in the same direction for successive operations to thus utilize the full workload capacity of the apparatus for constant work fed to it.

Inventor Harold G. Leidlg 1060 S.E. Gladlola, Grants Pass, Oreg.

Aug. 18, 1969 Nov. 23, 1971 Appl. No. Filed Patented MULTIBAND MILL 1 Clalm, 6 Drawing Figs.

156] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 900.677 10/1908 Mereen et a1 143/22 2,593,760 4/1952 James 143/21 3,318,347 5/1967 Alich 143/22 FOREIGN PATENTS 65,820 12/1892 Germany Primary Examiner-Donald R. Schran Attorney-James D. Givnan ABSTRACT: Saw mill apparatus including a plurality of bandsaws cooperatively adjustable relative to each other transversely of the apparatus for cutting successive boards of predeter- U.S.Cl 143/22, mined thickness from a log firmly supported in its passage 83/201.13 through the apparatus. The log is progressively fed to the Int. Cl B27b 15/08 bandsaws running in the same direction for successive opera- Fi l Of Search 14 /1 tions to thus utilize the full workload capacity of the apparatus 83/201, 201.13 for constant work fed to it.

2 IO\ IO. :10 f I r 4 I 'F, i o 9 LR Q I \4 \c l l a B \e I a i II I I I ,ll 74' "7 1%: I2 L J3 I l2 l2 I 1 l 1 l I 1 54 5s l 32 19.5 9 1 1 Figs.

I o 29 1| so a 2a 111 ll 1 l I ll d i I f! 10 1 6 1 PATENTEUuuv 23 IQYI 3, 621 ,895

HAROLD LEI DIG INVENTOR.

MULTIBAND MILL The principal objects of the invention are:

To provide simplified and reliable means for simultaneously adjusting the saws relative to each other transversely of the apparatus for cutting a log lengthwise into boards of predetermined thickness.

To provide a system for cutting lumber in which the logs are caused to pass continuously through a given path for the successive sawing operations and wherein the boards are automatically separated from the rest of the log and the full capacity of the saws thus utilized. The system not only increases the capacity of the mill but also the quantity of lumber cut from a single log and also avoids unnecessary handling and requires the least amount of labor and minimum area for the mill.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and in which:

FIG. l is a top plan view of saw mill apparatus made in accordance with my invention.

FIG. 1A is a continuation of the left end of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view taken approximately along the line 2-2 ofFlG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of FIG. 2 rotated through 90 and with some parts omitted for convenience of illustration, and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are elevational and side views, respectively, oftable supports.

With continuing reference to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like parts, and particularly FIGS. 1 and IA thereof, I have designated pairs of transversely opposed bandsaw units at stations hereinafter indicated at A, B, C, D, E, F, G. Since all of the bandsaw units and their related parts are identical, a description of one unit and/or one pair thereof will suffice for all.

Each bandsaw unit, as illustrated in FIG. 2, comprises a base in the form of a steel cabinet indicated generally at 5 enclosing the usual motor (not shown) having a conventional driving connection with a bottom wheel 6. An endless bandsaw indicated generally at 7 is entrained under the bottom or driving wheel 6, and over an idling top wheel 8 rotatably mounted in the head 10 ofa column 11 fixedly mounted upon and extending upwardly from the top of its respective base cabinet 5.

It will be noted that the diameter of both top and bottom wheels is such that their periphery extends outwardly from the base cabinet 5 and from the head 10 a sufficient distance to provide clearance and full exposure of the downward or cutting reach 12 of the saw. The upward reach 13 of the saw travels within the hollow column 11.

The base cabinets 5 of each pair of bandsaw units are carried by rollers R for movement toward and away from each other within the length of their respective boxlike supporting frames, indicated generally at 14, each having a bottom wall 15, sidewalls 16-17. and end walls 18 and 19.

As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the same outside wall 22 of each base cabinet has secured to it, as at 23 and 24, an internally rightand left-hand threaded cylindrical bearing bracket 25 and 26, respectively, which rotatably support a shaft 28 correspondingly threaded at 29 and 30. One end of shaft 28 is provided with a hand wheel 32 for convenience in rotating the shaft in a clockwise direction which will pull the saw units in its respective pair toward each other as indicated by broken lines or in a counterclockwise direction for moving the units away from each other as shown in full lines.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the opposing saws at each of said stations A-G may be selectively set in progressively diminishing spaced relation to each other and hence to a log indicated generally at 35 in its passage through the apparatus from the right to the left end thereof as viewed in FIG. 1.

The log 35 is impelled through the apparatus by rollers, indicated at 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, joumaled in bearing brackets 45 and driven by a sprocket chain 46 entrained over sprocket wheels 47 secured to one end of the roller shafts. The

shaft 48 of the infeed roller 38 and its respective sprocket wheel 47 is extended for securement thereto of a spur wheel 49 driven by a pinion 50 secured to the power output shaft 5 I of a motor 52.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 1A and 3, table sections 54-55 are interposed between each pair of rollers all on the same horizontal plane as that of the infeed table 56 with their inner edges abutting the sides of the saw unit columns 11. The gap 60 between the opposing edges of the table sections 54-55 thus provide a stabilizing guide for movement of the saw units toward and away from each other in addition to that provided by the respective boxlike supporting frames 14.

The table sections (FIGS. 4-5) are secured to supporting columns 61 by bolts with countersunk heads 62 (FIG. 4) so as to preserve the smooth overall surface of the sections. The bottom end of the columns 61 are secured to flooring or the like by lag screws 63 or similar fasteners.

The infeed roller 38 is preferably spiked or corrugated as are some of the remaining rollers where deemed desirable or necessary or they may be smooth surfaced as shown.

Assuming that the log 35 when entering the apparatus, after its bottom part has first been slabbed so as to provide a flat, straight side in which it can rest during the subsequent operations, it will be seen that the first opposing saw units at station A will slab both sides of the log for passage through the remainder of the apparatus between the following saw units at stations B, C, D, E, F, and G, wherein the saws are set respectively in gradual but equal decrements according to the space setting between the saws, as shown, or in unequal decrements if desired.

With all of the bandsaws in operation it will be apparent that two boards with be produced between each pair of saw units until the saws at station G reach their approximate limit of inward movement, to produce a single board, as shown in full lines in FIG. 1A. The boards cut by the previous saw units are indicated by broken lines in FIG. 1A and may be manually or mechanically manipulated by means, not shown, at desired intervals lengthwise of the apparatus to separate the boards from each other for removal from the apparatus.

The bandsaws 7 are of the heavy-duty type whose inherent stiffness resists operational twisting and that the downward cutting reaches of each pair of bandsaws may be conveniently adjusted to cut boards of various thicknesses instead of the uniform thickness shown in FIG. 1A. Such adjustment for the cutting slabs at station A may be varied by transverse adjustment of the saw units 10 at that station. Similarly, boards of various thicknesses may be cut by transverse adjustment of the saw units in the remaining stations B-G. As another example of such variations it will be seen that by moving saw units I0 at station B outwardly into inoperative position the thickness of boards then cut at station C would be twice the thickness of those if produced at station E.

I claim:

I. Sawmill apparatus consisting of oppositely disposed bandsaw units each having a base,

means mounting said units for movement toward and away from each other into positions of predetermined spaced relation,

workpiece-conveying means disposed interjacent each of said bandsaw units subjecting a workpiece to cutting action of the bandsaws to thereby produce sections of the workpiece in various thicknesses,

each of said bandsaw units including a hollow column extending upwardly from its respective base and terminating in a hollow head,

a driving wheel rotatably mounted within each bandsaw base and an idling wheel rotatably mounted within each of said heads,

an endless bandsaw entrained over each of said wheels, and

the upward run of each bandsaw operable within its respective hollow column with its downward cutting run operable in outwardly spaced relation to its respective base and to its respective head. 

1. Sawmill apparatus consisting of oppositely disposed bandsaw units each having a base, means mounting said units for movement toward and away from each other into positions of predetermined spaced relation, workpiece-conveying means disposed interjacent each of said bandsaw units subjecting a workpiece to cutting action of the bandsaws to thereby produce sections of the workpiece in various thicknesses, each of said bandsaw units including a hollow column extending upwardly from its respective base and terminating in a hollow head, a driving wheel rotatably mounted within each bandsaw base and an idling wheel rotatably mounted within each of said heads, an endless bandsaw entrained over each of said wheels, and the upward run of each bandsaw operable within its respective hollow column with its downward cutting run operable in outwardly spaced relation to its respective base and to its respective head. 